Peace Officer Bills Come with $10M Price Tag

By Greg JonesWestern Bureau ChiefExtending the time for dependents of California police officers and firefighters to file for death benefits and increasing the number of safety workers entitled to the presumption that certain injuries are job-related would add more than $10 million a year to public employer workers’ compensation costs, according to legislative analyses.The analyses show the projected financial burden would fall disproportionately on municipal and county governments, but the state could still see its costs increase by at least $1 million.Jason Schmelzer, a lobbyist with t...